Re: Timing
It looks like the earlier European colonists behaved the worst towards the conquered lands. The later ones behaved more kindly. That's why England, after the decolonization, ended up with the Commonwealth.
So, the relationship that can still exist between colonisor and colonized depends on the respect the former had towards the later.
I'm sure the former colonies, in this conference, are not after our money. They are after a few words, but words that weigh sometimes more heavily than all the gold in the world.
Raoul